KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada visited Ukraine’s capital Monday to mark the third anniversary of the country’s war with Russia in a conspicuous show of support for Kyiv amid deepening uncertainty about the Trump administration’s commitment to helping it fend off Russia’s invasion.
Some of Ukraine’s most important backers, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, were among the visitors greeted at the train station by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and the president’s chief of staff, Andrii Yermak.
In a post on X, von der Leyen wrote that Europe was in Kyiv “because Ukraine is in Europe.”
“In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she wrote.
Ukrainian and European officials have been rattled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s cordial approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his tough words for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In a cascade of unwelcome developments for Kyiv, Trump has in recent days called Zelenskyy a dictator, suggested Ukraine is to blame for the war and ended Putin’s three-year diplomatic isolation by the United States. U.S. officials have also indicated to Ukraine that its hopes of joining NATO are unlikely to be realized and that it probably won’t get back the land that Russia’s army has occupied, amounting to nearly 20% of the country.
Meanwhile, Putin’s troops are making steady progress on the battlefield while Ukraine is grappling with shortages of troops and weapons.
The Trump administration began negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine — without Ukraine at the table. The move alarmed European leaders and Ukraine supporters in Congress Walt Handelsman leads this week’s editorial cartoon gallery with his view of President Donald Trump handing over “Youkraine” to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The theme continues with Bill Bramhall’s depiction of Trump conducting “piece talks” over which piece of Ukraine Putin will get. Drew Sheneman’s Trump askis Putin if he wants to borrow his Sharpie to redraw Ukraine’s borders, referring to the president’s scribble on a map altering Hurricane Dorian’s path in 2019. Dana Summers sees Trump as herding cats named after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin and Europe.
Nick Anderson, Mike Luckovich, Michael Ramirez and Phil Hands all refer to Trump’s false claim that Zelenskyy started the war. Actually, Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Luckovich puts the betrayal in terms “Star Wars” fans can understand; Han Solo can’t believe his eyes when he sees Chewbacca with his arm around Darth Vader.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine set a somber tone on Monday for the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, posting a short video praising Ukrainians for their sacrifices and honoring those who died.
No major events were planned. It was a day to remember what was lost: loved ones and previous lives.
On her way to work at a local supermarket, Olha Shtepan, a Ukrainian refugee in Hamburg, Germany, started crying. “It’s a wound that doesn’t heal,” she said of the invasion that began Feb. 24, 2022. “Sometimes, I manage to not think of all what has happened, but on a day like today it is terrible.”
Three years ago when Russia attacked, Ms. Shtepan was babysitting for her sister’s children in Kyiv. Her own children were with her husband in Irpin, a nearby suburb that was partly occupied by Russia in the first weeks of the war. She grabbed the children and rushed to Irpin to join her family — into greater danger. “At that time, I did not know that we are going to hell,” she said by voice message from Germany.
After more than a week of heavy bombing, they evacuated with four children in a flow of people fleeing over the remnants a blown-up bridge. “We were there,” she said of the bridge, which became a symbol of the suffering in the early part of the war.
The family left for Germany, but the pain remains. “The whole month of February for us, all Ukrainians who went through those horrors, it’s a terrible month,” Ms. Shtepan said.
Across Ukraine, there are memorials. Some, like destroyed cars of those who tried to flee that litter the countryside, remain as they did back then, a reminder of what was lost. Others are newly created, as the war continues.
Ukraine Wow, a public organization that promotes Ukrainian culture, earlier this month created an animated sculpture of 12-foot-high hearts at the central railway station in Kyiv. The hearts beat faster each time they receive a message from people with the name of someone who has died in a war.
The Trump administration’s big cuts to the federal government are hitting one group particularly hard — the country’s veterans. Veterans make up 28% of the federal workforce — a far bigger share than the 5% in the private sector. https://www.axios.com/2025/02/24/trump-doge-musk-veterans
Would love to hear the Democrats hit harder on the totally sloppy incompetence of Trump and Lump with DOGE. There has now even been some push back by the Trump named heads of agencies. It would be more effective than “Constitutional Crisis” which most of the public doesn’t even understand.
They are proving to be very bad at organization and cost cutting that actually damages the citizens and businesses of the US.
Nearly everyone with measles in the rapidly growing Texas outbreak is unvaccinated, infecting others.
Sturgeone
1 month ago
I’ve seen some ugly American shit since 1960, but this is all by far the ugliest. A steady progression of progressively worse and worse ugliness. 60’s assignations , Vietnam, Nixon, Reagan, Bush 2, and now this. I wish I had gone to Canada in ‘68.
My Mom was a vaccine phobic before it was a thing. Back to the swine flu days under Gerald Ford. I think that’s when the current strain of vaccine conspiracies broke out and has only continued to spread.
What happened with the swine flu vaccine in 1976?
President Gerald Ford announced a plan to vaccinate everyone in the country. By the end of the year, 40 million out of some 200 million Americans were vaccinated for the new strain, but no pandemic appeared and public health credibility suffered.
Eugenics. It’s eugenics. They don’t want chronically ill or elderly folks to live.
Stupidity. It’s also stupidity. If there’s no herd immunity, folks will get sick and many will become chronically ill. Measles can destroy your immune system, making you susceptible to everything. Folks can lose their sight or hearing from measles.
Coup. It’s a coup. Now, the US Marshals have deputized MuskRat’s security detail. They should’ve arrested him for breaking and entering government buildings, data breaches, harassment of federal employees, etc.
Five things I did every day last week, including the weekend:
1) Called Senator A -I him to denaturalize & deport Elon, after dispossessing him of his taxpayer-funded businesses; told him the Senate & House budgets are crap, he’s not a real Republican nor the Christian he claims to be, and reminded him dictators don’t need legislators, especially Putin which is who he now works for.
2) Called Senator B – ditto
3) Called US Representative – ditto
4) Only shopped at the little grocery store in town for necessities aka boycotted WalMart
5) Fought fascism on the interwebs and got shadow banned for spreading too much truth
Kash is probably like Bobby Brainworms…except it looks like his brainworm is still in residence. Seriously, Patel should get his thyroid checked. Those eyes have the look of someone with a thyroid issue, which can lead to odd behavior if not addressed.
ps – How long before he’s replaced by someone with less melanin? Is he just going to be one of the few token MAGAts that give yt supremacists cover?
“Germany’s mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won the country’s national election, ensuring that Ukraine has an even stronger supporter in the European Union’s largest country and creating hopes for renewal in an economic powerhouse that has been badly battered in recent years.”
“The far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to become the second-largest political force, gaining from a backlash against the high numbers of migrants and refugees the nation has absorbed over the past decade and a string of extremist attacks that has shaken its sense of security.
Merz, who is promising to unite Europe in the face of challenges from both Russia and the United States, is expected to become the country’s next leader. He vowed to do everything in his power to continue a good transatlantic relationship with the U.S., even if the Trump administration appears to have waning interest in Europe.”
“If those who really do not just make ‘America First,’ but almost ‘America Alone’ their motto prevail, then it will be difficult,” he told reporters Monday in his first post-election news conference.”
Yeah, “Make America Alone” sounds like what (F)Elon has us on track for now.
Put my Ukrainian flag out this morning. Also marks the date we put our house on the market and the ensuing chilling effect on real estate. No one knew what was going to happen. The days of one-day-home-sales ground to a halt.
How long before DODO EO’s the Americans with Disabilities Act into oblivion? Who wants crippled people hobbling around getting preferential treatment and expensive “accommodations?”
“THE REAL KING’: TVs at HUD Headquarters Changed to Display AI Video of Trump Kissing Elon Musk’s Feet
“Reporters tweeted photos and videos of the strange video on Musk’s social media platform X. “Someone apparently hacked the televisions at HUD today,” wrote The Washington Post’s White House economics reporter Jeff Stein.”
“It is not yet known if this was done by hackers, a disgruntled HUD employee, or another critic of Trump and Musk.”
Ha! Heck, Elon could’ve had done it to poke a sharp stick at tRUMP or make trouble for federal employees. Yeah, let’s go with that; it was one of the Fart-full DOdGErs.
How long before active, reserve, and retired veterans have enough of Orange Adolf’s BS and his disrespect of them, of military brass being kicked out for not being white and male, and NOTICE that THEIR benefits are disappearing to pay for the illegally-immigrated, South African’s tax cuts?
Where’s the line that will rid the world of the orange stain and his ketamine-addicted pirate?
Sure, they will be called a “terrorist,”
just like they are labeling Luigi. The systems that serve the 1% preserved, and everything else is being dismantled so the 1% can get their grubby, little hands in that, too.
When do we reach critical mass of citizens and military who are willing to take to the streets (or wherever) to stop Putin’s march through the US?
“Private security dragged out a woman who had been interrupting a Kootenai County Republican Central Committee legislative town hall in Idaho Saturday as Sheriff Robert Norris stood by, spurring a disagreement between the sheriff and Coeur d’Alene’s police chief over the First Amendment implications of the incident.”
“The reality is, there’s a whole bunch of great things that are happening, the problem is we’ve got a bunch of rabble-rousers who just won’t allow it to be spoken,” Bejarana said. “So the thing is, what I’m doing up here is, I’m simply overtalking you because your voice is meaningless right now.”
“Coeur d’Alene police Chief Lee White told the Coeur d’Alene Press he had declined to arrest Borrenpohl from the town hall as Norris requested.”
“Borrenpohl told the Idaho Statesman that people who were cheering for GOP policies at the town hall were not told to stop, but whenever anyone expressed dissent, they were scolded.
Her friends, Megan Kunz and Tamara Sines-Kermelis told KTVB that Borrenpohl was told to “shut up” when attempting to ask questions.”
“The emcee of the event, Ed Bejarana, called Borrenpohl a “little girl,” at the town hall, saying: “This little girl does not want to leave. She spoke up and now does not want to suffer the consequences.”
Not one person stood up for the Dr. who was silenced and thrown to the ground (apparently by guys without badges) and arrested by the sheriff. Everyone filmed, but were afraid to do anything else to help her.
The guy who called the Dr. “little girl,” and others that “your voice is meaningless” is a voiceover actor. Figures. He’ll probably get a deputy cabinet position from Orange Adolf now that he’s gone viral.
Archibald: Alabamians cut by Musk’s DOGE chainsaw, and why it hurts
The messages started Saturday, from federal employees in Alabama or people who cared about them.
They got that mysterious note like 2.3 million of their peers:
“Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. Please do not send any classified information, links, or attachments.”
Those who got it were stunned. Mortified. Angry. Like you’d be if you had such a bad boss.
It looked like spam, but was later claimed by Elon Musk, whose week included:
Sticking pins in voodoo dolls of judges who told him to hold his chainsaw on NIH cuts after a group of state attorneys general – not including Alabama’s – sued to stop it.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve spoken to Alabamians who are giddy about the cuts, too, who want to know how I can possibly support such a bloated government.
It’s a fair question. Here’s the answer.
I live in a city where the sky glowed orange before the Clean Air Act and the EPA started to hold businesses accountable. I live in a state that even in recent years aided and abetted the poisoning of poor neighborhoods until held to account by feds.
I live in a metro area whose economy was salvaged by a research hospital. I live in a community enriched by those who came from across the world to pursue medical miracles with the help of federal funds. A doctor from Japan, working in that research hospital, gave me my own miracle.
I live in a state that militarized its police to stop people of the wrong hue or heritage from voting, or going to school, or having the temerity to try to eat lunch at a restaurant reserved for white people. I live in a place where police did next to nothing, until forced by the feds, to stop generations of lynchings and bombings.
I live in a country where Social Security is a promise, where taking care of veterans is a duty that can never repay veterans for their duty.
I feel lucky to live in a place where regulators, even imperfect ones, make food safer to eat, water safer to drink, factories safer to work, medicine safer to take, planes safer to fly, cars safer to drive and homes safer to live in.
I am and always have been opposed to government waste, corruption, ineptitude and overreach, greed, tilted playing fields, threats to the free press and the Constitution, and general assholery, especially in the name of a god.
But mostly I love my country, and can’t understand the need to tear it down. Not just its mechanics, but its identity.
American exceptionalism is not who we can beat up or put down or bully into submission. It is a dream. It is striving to do better, to serve as a beacon for justice and opportunity.
Not just for kings and billionaires, but for all.
Musk’s chainsaw ripped that notion apart, too. Maybe more than the budget.
“Accelerationism advocates for the hastening of societal, economic, and political collapse.”
“While traditionally associated with extremist groups, the ideology is increasingly resonating with certain billionaire figures, including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and others who envision a “reset” of current government structures. By leveraging significant financial resources and technological platforms, these high-profile advocates are pushing for sweeping changes that bypass traditional governance. The shared desire for systemic upheaval—whether from extremist groups or influential tech leaders—underscores a growing threat to global stability, as accelerationist-inspired agendas, now spanning political and economic elite circles, foster a climate of polarization and potential destabilization.”
“…Yarvin, an ex-computer programmer-turned-blogger, has argued that American democracy is irrevocably broken and ought to be replaced with a monarchy styled after a Silicon Valley tech start-up. According to Yarvin, the time has come to jettison existing democratic institutions and concentrate political power in a single “chief executive” or “dictator.” These ideas — which Yarvin calls “neo-reaction” or “the Dark Enlightenment” — were once confined to the fringes of the internet, but now, with Trump’s reelection, they are finding a newly powerful audience in Washington.”
Accelarationism + Dark Enlightenment = We are cooked if we don’t stop this, globally, now.
“The U.S. voted against a resolution condemning Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine that passed the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, marking three years since Russia’s launched its full-scale invasion of the country.”
“Among the 17 countries that joined the U.S. in opposition to the non-binding measure were Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Israel and Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a close ally to President Trump. China abstained along with 64 other countries.”
“President Trump, asked about the vote in the Oval Office on Monday, said he would rather not explain the rationale behind it, but called it “self-evident.”
Yep, it’s quite evident that rRUMPsky is a Russian tool.
Is this enough for the military to remember its oath to the US Constitution?
Lester Holt to Step Down as Anchor of ‘NBC Nightly News’Is Tom Llamas a shoo-in there? Peter Alexander is my fave but someone there has shelved him years ago.
Clint Hill, Who Sprang to Kennedys’ Side as Shots Were Fired, Dies at 93
A Secret Service agent, he leaped onto the president’s limousine in Dallas in 1963 and was credited with saving the first lady’s life. But he was haunted by his inability to save her husband.
“…Trump said he was in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about an economic-development deal, while the U.S. suffered a diplomatic rebuke at the United Nations over an effort to mark the third anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”
Agent Orange is gonna give away the farm, unless this is the deal where they pillage Ukraine for mineral rights, port access, etc. FFS! Someone stop this horror show.
I think Macron called krasnov a “lunatic” in the middle of one of his speeches.
CNN also had the clown FBI deputy something giving a speech. Eyes blown out and a very slow and odd speech pattern, similar to what I heard in college parties.
“Thousands of individuals have signed an online petition urging the revocation of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship over his involvement in the Trump administration, which the petitioners argue undermines Canada’s sovereignty.”
“The petition, which is progressing through the Canada’s House of Commons, was filed by Qualia Reed, an author from Nanaimo, British Columbia.”
“The petition calls on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cancel Musk’s citizenship and Canadian passport.”
“Musk was born in South Africa, but he holds Canadian citizenship due to his mother, Maye Musk, who was born in the Canadian city of Regina, Saskatchewan.”
“The petition accuses Musk of engaging “in activities that go against the national interest of Canada” by acting as an adviser to President Trump. It adds that the billionaire has become “a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty.”
***
Various countries could probably arrest him on drug charges for those horse tranquilizers he’s in. Then, I’d like to see Musk arrested in the US for data breaches from his team of incels, etc., his assets frozen and transferred to the US government since taxers funded it all, denaturalized, and deported to South Africa.
Most of the anti-muskie and his minions talk is about we don’t know what they are doing to the computer systems. In my old world you never trusted a system that was hacked. You would reload a backup and rebuild from that than use the one that was touched. Well, most of the U.S. federal system is going to be like that.. You do not know what was stolen, what as changed, what was added. Start over.
There is something I like to say if I am around a slot machine, never bet against a computer. Even though mechanical slots could, and were, modified to the house, current machines are computer programs, also set for the house to win.
The we don’t know what has been added is like the slots computer. It can be nice, it can be very nasty. This includes such things as modifying the “your fired” algorithm so certain employees are fired over someone else. I tend to have doubts ellen can do any heavy programming, but his little monsters might have some capabilities.
Six hours at the VA medical center. No talk about krasnov and muskie, except in waiting rooms. Seems someone at the med center found the right switch to put CNN on the television system – Yay – sort of. At least it is better than when Ortho clinic had faux news, someone found how to change channels there to the VA channel.
Today we had delights such as the FBI deputy director trying to speak. His eyes looked odd, and his speech pattern was something like I hear at some college parties. He is going to be all right as that is his job. Get stoned and break things. Then various talking heads talking about things.
The finale was the Macron krasnov tête-à-tête. In the waiting room there was a lot of laughter at krasnov, not kind remarks about his joining forces with the russians. Macron could have punched him in the mouth and become president of the U.S. Several people had not heard that stupid joined with russia and their responses were not good for delicate company. I do admit I added some of my thoughts too. We are all veterans and used to some coarser talk.
krasnov should hope for a fast stroke or heart attack because there should be talk that he is a traitor and needs to be convicted very soon.
“A neo-Nazi is facing 20 years in prison for conspiring to start a race war in the majority-Black city of Baltimore by attacking the power grid.”
“Brandon Russell, 29, who is a self-proclaimed “National Socialist,” is the cofounder of Atomwaffen Division (AWD) meaning atomic weapon in German, which he started as a teenager in 2015. This group believes in “accelerationism,” which is the violent overthrow of the government in order to fuel societal collapse.”
“Bonneville Power staff departures under President Trump raise concerns about Northwest electrical grid”
“I can’t overemphasize the fact that this is a serious, serious, operational problem,” Randall Hardy, an energy consultant and former administrator of BPA, said about the staff losses. “The reliability impacts of this could be very serious. I mean the lights go out. Unplanned outages.”
Losing a large chunk of its highly trained workforce will hinder the agency’s ability to perform core functions, the BPA staff members said. Those functions include distributing hydropower from 31 federal dams and operating 75% of the Northwest’s power grid, ensuring reliable electricity for millions in the Northwest.
It sure seems like (F)Elon should be charged with the same thing as the neo-Nazi in MD. Elon is not an elected official, and collapsing the government is not part of upholding the US Constitution.
Idiot Megyn Kelly is soooooo angry with the Eagles football players because they allegedly told the white house to stuff it. They won’t go there no matter HOW MANY Hamberders they could have.
BB – Yeah, the Krasnov administration is my least favorite of all that I’ve experienced, and one that should be shut down as an infiltration by foreign agents, plural.
James Carville seems to think it will implode soon. Not without military inside or outside help, it won’t.
Unless, of course, someone can prove that Russian & Elon did something to rig the election, and Harris is rightfully the POTUS.
We know Butler, PA was a bogus pew-pew. What about the shooter? So little interest. It went away like, poooof!
It was obvious what Megyn Kelly was up to by seeing her performance on Bill Maher. Other than that, she’s hasn’t been on my radar since her ungraceful MSNBC exit.
I caught Peter Noone’s appearance on an episode of Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast once during a drive to Jersey. I was absolutely amazed by what a nice level-headed chap he is. Delightful traveling companion.
Also on that same type of motif was Burt Ward.
Early 60’s we used to practice at our drummer’s house. His little sister was gaga over those Hermits, so we wound up doing every song they made. They weren’t bad songs even though maybe a bit on the sappy side.
It’s something somebody told him one time that one of those nazis had said and so he tries to do it just like they did. He’s just kind of a buffoonitory nazi.
The only thing that keeps the base of magans intact is the fact that the uppity black man dared to ridicule him. The magans resulting from that will follow him in through the Gates of Hell for that.
Me too, I liked them better than the Beatles. I still recall Peter on the show with Mike Douglas pretending he didn’t know how to pronounce the name of the city Baal-tee-moree. It was so cuute!
“Army Choir Performs Les Mis Anthem About Protesting the King for Trump. The Internet Has Questions”
“Governors Ball attendees heard a rendition of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” at the White House over the weekend — a protest anthem about resisting an oppressive government”
“Do you hear the people sing? / Singing the song of angry men?/ It is the music of the people / Who will not be slaves again!”
“Dan Scavino, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, shared a video of the choir performance on X, writing, “It was a great honor to attend this evenings Governors Ball at the @WhiteHouse, hosted by @FLOTUS Melania and @POTUS@realDonaldTrump—thank you!”
“Democratic Rep. James P. McGovern from Massachusetts responded to the post and pointed out the irony: “They picked Les Mis—a musical about standing up to tyranny. They protested you at your own event and you were too stupid to get it.”
“The AP filed a lawsuit last week over the White House’s decision to bar its reporters from official events due to the news organization’s choice to not change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” in its reporting.”
“On Monday, the interim acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia released a statement on the lawsuit that sparked outrage from Democrats.”
“As President Trumps’ lawyers, we are proud to fight to protect his leadership as our President and we are vigilant in standing against entities like the AP that refuse to put America first,” Ed Martin, the interim acting U.S. Attorney for D.C., said in a statement.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), an outspoken critic of Trump, immediately condemned the statement.
“This is insane. If you wonder why some of us think the rule of law is about to fall, it’s this.The U.S. Attorney for DC is not ‘President Trump’s lawyer’ and its job is not to ‘protect his leadership’ nor prosecute people who ‘refuse to put America first,’” he wrote on social media platform X.”
Orange Adolf has hurt so many folks in a month, that there won’t be much outrage when the entire Krasnov administration is found to be traitorous and possibly illegally in power due to election fraud.
The yt supremacists groups will go apes/t, but some of those are probably veterans who’ve lost benefits, so they might stand down, too.
anonstuff
1 month ago
the 2A people voted for the “government” that is the exact reason they are supposed to be 2A people
also not a unique observation
anonstuff
1 month ago
listening to Bill Maher on Pod Save now
Love it doing a good job calling him out on his bullshit so far I’m trying not to yell at the radio
Last edited 1 month ago by anonstuff
anonstuff
1 month ago
good discussion, Bill very naive for a guy that made a career in political commentary
…in general, but specifically in the context of him remarking with wonder at skumtrump’s method of gutting government, THEY TOLD US what they were gonna do, Bill, they wrote up a whole plan, called it “Project 2025”, maybe you heard of it
…and he’s conciliatory NOW, after it matters, how convenient
Last edited 1 month ago by anonstuff
anonstuff
1 month ago
Lovett and Maher compliment each other well actually
Foreign leaders visit Ukraine to show their support on war’s 3rd anniversary
Free link..
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/opinion/trump-ukraine-justice-zelensky.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zU4.7qIL._BflOIu7zFUT&smid=url-share
Trump’s Ukraine U-turn, Musk’s spending cuts: Editorial cartoons for Feb. 23, 2025 – syracuse.com
Ukraine Marks Third Anniversary of War With Little Fanfare – The New York Times
it’s been a long 3 years since this was aired Feb 25, 2022
Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York performs Prayer for Ukraine.
Slava Ukraine
Glory to the Heroes
The Trump administration’s big cuts to the federal government are hitting one group particularly hard — the country’s veterans. Veterans make up 28% of the federal workforce — a far bigger share than the 5% in the private sector.
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/24/trump-doge-musk-veterans
Would love to hear the Democrats hit harder on the totally sloppy incompetence of Trump and Lump with DOGE. There has now even been some push back by the Trump named heads of agencies. It would be more effective than “Constitutional Crisis” which most of the public doesn’t even understand.
They are proving to be very bad at organization and cost cutting that actually damages the citizens and businesses of the US.
on a different subject
John Oliver discusses Facebook’s controversial new plans for content moderation and which Animorphs he would and would not kill with his car.
Performative Idiocracy
Nearly everyone with measles in the rapidly growing Texas outbreak is unvaccinated, infecting others.
I’ve seen some ugly American shit since 1960, but this is all by far the ugliest. A steady progression of progressively worse and worse ugliness. 60’s assignations , Vietnam, Nixon, Reagan, Bush 2, and now this. I wish I had gone to Canada in ‘68.
Let’s see Kash’s vaccination record. I know nothing about him. Does he have kids and are they vaccinated?
I just got the latest old person Pneumococcal vaccine.
My Mom was a vaccine phobic before it was a thing. Back to the swine flu days under Gerald Ford. I think that’s when the current strain of vaccine conspiracies broke out and has only continued to spread.
Eugenics. It’s eugenics. They don’t want chronically ill or elderly folks to live.
Stupidity. It’s also stupidity. If there’s no herd immunity, folks will get sick and many will become chronically ill. Measles can destroy your immune system, making you susceptible to everything. Folks can lose their sight or hearing from measles.
Coup. It’s a coup. Now, the US Marshals have deputized MuskRat’s security detail. They should’ve arrested him for breaking and entering government buildings, data breaches, harassment of federal employees, etc.
Five things I did every day last week, including the weekend:
1) Called Senator A -I him to denaturalize & deport Elon, after dispossessing him of his taxpayer-funded businesses; told him the Senate & House budgets are crap, he’s not a real Republican nor the Christian he claims to be, and reminded him dictators don’t need legislators, especially Putin which is who he now works for.
2) Called Senator B – ditto
3) Called US Representative – ditto
4) Only shopped at the little grocery store in town for necessities aka boycotted WalMart
5) Fought fascism on the interwebs and got shadow banned for spreading too much truth
Kash is probably like Bobby Brainworms…except it looks like his brainworm is still in residence. Seriously, Patel should get his thyroid checked. Those eyes have the look of someone with a thyroid issue, which can lead to odd behavior if not addressed.
ps – How long before he’s replaced by someone with less melanin? Is he just going to be one of the few token MAGAts that give yt supremacists cover?
Semi-good news from Germany:
https://apnews.com/article/germany-politics-election-results-afd-merz-4b862dcd150423028cc1ac1e6663cb82
“Germany’s mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won the country’s national election, ensuring that Ukraine has an even stronger supporter in the European Union’s largest country and creating hopes for renewal in an economic powerhouse that has been badly battered in recent years.”
“The far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to become the second-largest political force, gaining from a backlash against the high numbers of migrants and refugees the nation has absorbed over the past decade and a string of extremist attacks that has shaken its sense of security.
Merz, who is promising to unite Europe in the face of challenges from both Russia and the United States, is expected to become the country’s next leader. He vowed to do everything in his power to continue a good transatlantic relationship with the U.S., even if the Trump administration appears to have waning interest in Europe.”
“If those who really do not just make ‘America First,’ but almost ‘America Alone’ their motto prevail, then it will be difficult,” he told reporters Monday in his first post-election news conference.”
Yeah, “Make America Alone” sounds like what (F)Elon has us on track for now.
Go Jane! “Woke just means you give a damn about other people”
“Eugenics. It’s eugenics. They don’t want chronically ill or elderly folks to live”
not just them
Jane’s full 9min Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech, Screen Actors Guild. RESIST!
https://youtu.be/Z_v0NJ8_8ps?si=uXMxjRvakIqBlRdb
Put my Ukrainian flag out this morning. Also marks the date we put our house on the market and the ensuing chilling effect on real estate. No one knew what was going to happen. The days of one-day-home-sales ground to a halt.
How long before DODO EO’s the Americans with Disabilities Act into oblivion? Who wants crippled people hobbling around getting preferential treatment and expensive “accommodations?”
good job car buyers!
I know Craig, Sturgeone, and Bronc are on Blue Sky. Who else has a bsky.social address?
“THE REAL KING’: TVs at HUD Headquarters Changed to Display AI Video of Trump Kissing Elon Musk’s Feet
“Reporters tweeted photos and videos of the strange video on Musk’s social media platform X. “Someone apparently hacked the televisions at HUD today,” wrote The Washington Post’s White House economics reporter Jeff Stein.”
“It is not yet known if this was done by hackers, a disgruntled HUD employee, or another critic of Trump and Musk.”
Ha! Heck, Elon could’ve had done it to poke a sharp stick at tRUMP or make trouble for federal employees. Yeah, let’s go with that; it was one of the Fart-full DOdGErs.
RIP Roberta Flack
Not yet, Jamie, not ready to take the plunge, but I click open Craig’s Bluesky daily.
How long before active, reserve, and retired veterans have enough of Orange Adolf’s BS and his disrespect of them, of military brass being kicked out for not being white and male, and NOTICE that THEIR benefits are disappearing to pay for the illegally-immigrated, South African’s tax cuts?
Where’s the line that will rid the world of the orange stain and his ketamine-addicted pirate?
Sure, they will be called a “terrorist,”
just like they are labeling Luigi. The systems that serve the 1% preserved, and everything else is being dismantled so the 1% can get their grubby, little hands in that, too.
When do we reach critical mass of citizens and military who are willing to take to the streets (or wherever) to stop Putin’s march through the US?
***
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/feb/23/woman-dragged-out-of-republican-town-hall-event-in/
“Private security dragged out a woman who had been interrupting a Kootenai County Republican Central Committee legislative town hall in Idaho Saturday as Sheriff Robert Norris stood by, spurring a disagreement between the sheriff and Coeur d’Alene’s police chief over the First Amendment implications of the incident.”
“The reality is, there’s a whole bunch of great things that are happening, the problem is we’ve got a bunch of rabble-rousers who just won’t allow it to be spoken,” Bejarana said. “So the thing is, what I’m doing up here is, I’m simply overtalking you because your voice is meaningless right now.”
“Coeur d’Alene police Chief Lee White told the Coeur d’Alene Press he had declined to arrest Borrenpohl from the town hall as Norris requested.”
”…your voice is meaningless…”
***
https://www.newsweek.com/woman-forcibly-dragged-out-idaho-town-hall-what-we-know-so-far-2035129
“Borrenpohl told the Idaho Statesman that people who were cheering for GOP policies at the town hall were not told to stop, but whenever anyone expressed dissent, they were scolded.
Her friends, Megan Kunz and Tamara Sines-Kermelis told KTVB that Borrenpohl was told to “shut up” when attempting to ask questions.”
“The emcee of the event, Ed Bejarana, called Borrenpohl a “little girl,” at the town hall, saying: “This little girl does not want to leave. She spoke up and now does not want to suffer the consequences.”
Not one person stood up for the Dr. who was silenced and thrown to the ground (apparently by guys without badges) and arrested by the sheriff. Everyone filmed, but were afraid to do anything else to help her.
The guy who called the Dr. “little girl,” and others that “your voice is meaningless” is a voiceover actor. Figures. He’ll probably get a deputy cabinet position from Orange Adolf now that he’s gone viral.
Opinion from the great John Archibald…
Archibald: Alabamians cut by Musk’s DOGE chainsaw, and why it hurts
The messages started Saturday, from federal employees in Alabama or people who cared about them.
They got that mysterious note like 2.3 million of their peers:
“Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. Please do not send any classified information, links, or attachments.”
Those who got it were stunned. Mortified. Angry. Like you’d be if you had such a bad boss.
https://www.al.com/news/2025/02/archibald-alabamians-cut-by-musks-doge-chainsaw-and-why-it-hurts.html?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/the-growing-threat-of-accelerationism-how-billionaires-want-to-reshape-global-stability/ar-AA1th06R
“Accelerationism advocates for the hastening of societal, economic, and political collapse.”
“While traditionally associated with extremist groups, the ideology is increasingly resonating with certain billionaire figures, including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and others who envision a “reset” of current government structures. By leveraging significant financial resources and technological platforms, these high-profile advocates are pushing for sweeping changes that bypass traditional governance. The shared desire for systemic upheaval—whether from extremist groups or influential tech leaders—underscores a growing threat to global stability, as accelerationist-inspired agendas, now spanning political and economic elite circles, foster a climate of polarization and potential destabilization.”
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/01/30/curtis-yarvins-ideas-00201552
“…Yarvin, an ex-computer programmer-turned-blogger, has argued that American democracy is irrevocably broken and ought to be replaced with a monarchy styled after a Silicon Valley tech start-up. According to Yarvin, the time has come to jettison existing democratic institutions and concentrate political power in a single “chief executive” or “dictator.” These ideas — which Yarvin calls “neo-reaction” or “the Dark Enlightenment” — were once confined to the fringes of the internet, but now, with Trump’s reelection, they are finding a newly powerful audience in Washington.”
Accelarationism + Dark Enlightenment = We are cooked if we don’t stop this, globally, now.
https://thehill.com/policy/international/5161197-us-votes-against-resolution-condemning-russia/
“The U.S. voted against a resolution condemning Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine that passed the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, marking three years since Russia’s launched its full-scale invasion of the country.”
“Among the 17 countries that joined the U.S. in opposition to the non-binding measure were Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Israel and Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a close ally to President Trump. China abstained along with 64 other countries.”
“President Trump, asked about the vote in the Oval Office on Monday, said he would rather not explain the rationale behind it, but called it “self-evident.”
Yep, it’s quite evident that rRUMPsky is a Russian tool.
Is this enough for the military to remember its oath to the US Constitution?
Lester Holt to Step Down as Anchor of ‘NBC Nightly News’Is Tom Llamas a shoo-in there? Peter Alexander is my fave but someone there has shelved him years ago.
Who I would love to see get the promotion : José Díaz-Balart
Clint Hill, Who Sprang to Kennedys’ Side as Shots Were Fired, Dies at 93
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/us/clint-hill-dead.html
Back….and to the left. Back…..and to the left. Back…..and to the left.
Maybe…..if José changed his name to Joe Ballard……I mean, maybe?
Macron grabs Trump’s arm to tell him he’s full of shit. 100% tarrif on French wine to follow..
March, 1964. Dallas.
Murder most foul.
I was told there would be no fact checking. LoL!
Love Macron for calling him out. Love it when he aggressively shakes Agent Orange’s tiny hands.
https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/trump-putin-us-russia-economic-deal-679a9d26?mod=RSSMSN
“…Trump said he was in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about an economic-development deal, while the U.S. suffered a diplomatic rebuke at the United Nations over an effort to mark the third anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”
Agent Orange is gonna give away the farm, unless this is the deal where they pillage Ukraine for mineral rights, port access, etc. FFS! Someone stop this horror show.
I think Macron called krasnov a “lunatic” in the middle of one of his speeches.
CNN also had the clown FBI deputy something giving a speech. Eyes blown out and a very slow and odd speech pattern, similar to what I heard in college parties.
https://thehill.com/policy/international/5161428-elon-musk-canadian-citizenship-revocation-petition/
“Thousands of individuals have signed an online petition urging the revocation of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship over his involvement in the Trump administration, which the petitioners argue undermines Canada’s sovereignty.”
“The petition, which is progressing through the Canada’s House of Commons, was filed by Qualia Reed, an author from Nanaimo, British Columbia.”
“The petition calls on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cancel Musk’s citizenship and Canadian passport.”
“Musk was born in South Africa, but he holds Canadian citizenship due to his mother, Maye Musk, who was born in the Canadian city of Regina, Saskatchewan.”
“The petition accuses Musk of engaging “in activities that go against the national interest of Canada” by acting as an adviser to President Trump. It adds that the billionaire has become “a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty.”
***
Various countries could probably arrest him on drug charges for those horse tranquilizers he’s in. Then, I’d like to see Musk arrested in the US for data breaches from his team of incels, etc., his assets frozen and transferred to the US government since taxers funded it all, denaturalized, and deported to South Africa.
Most of the anti-muskie and his minions talk is about we don’t know what they are doing to the computer systems. In my old world you never trusted a system that was hacked. You would reload a backup and rebuild from that than use the one that was touched. Well, most of the U.S. federal system is going to be like that.. You do not know what was stolen, what as changed, what was added. Start over.
There is something I like to say if I am around a slot machine, never bet against a computer. Even though mechanical slots could, and were, modified to the house, current machines are computer programs, also set for the house to win.
The we don’t know what has been added is like the slots computer. It can be nice, it can be very nasty. This includes such things as modifying the “your fired” algorithm so certain employees are fired over someone else. I tend to have doubts ellen can do any heavy programming, but his little monsters might have some capabilities.
Go Tina!
Six hours at the VA medical center. No talk about krasnov and muskie, except in waiting rooms. Seems someone at the med center found the right switch to put CNN on the television system – Yay – sort of. At least it is better than when Ortho clinic had faux news, someone found how to change channels there to the VA channel.
Today we had delights such as the FBI deputy director trying to speak. His eyes looked odd, and his speech pattern was something like I hear at some college parties. He is going to be all right as that is his job. Get stoned and break things. Then various talking heads talking about things.
The finale was the Macron krasnov tête-à-tête. In the waiting room there was a lot of laughter at krasnov, not kind remarks about his joining forces with the russians. Macron could have punched him in the mouth and become president of the U.S. Several people had not heard that stupid joined with russia and their responses were not good for delicate company. I do admit I added some of my thoughts too. We are all veterans and used to some coarser talk.
krasnov should hope for a fast stroke or heart attack because there should be talk that he is a traitor and needs to be convicted very soon.
Elon’s Reign of Terror getting flak:
OPM flip flops, tells federal workers to ignore that Elon Musk email saying you have to justify your job or be fired. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elon-musk-email-federal-workers_n_67bcd81de4b0fceb21221bfe?lzk
“Workforce Oversight agency finds Trump’s federal worker firings unlawful, asks for some employees to be reinstated. The findings could have sweeping impacts for the tens of thousands of recently dismissed workers.” https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/02/oversight-agency-finds-trumps-federal-worker-firings-unlawful-asks-some-employees-be-reinstated/403218/
Add more insults.
https://www.newsweek.com/neo-nazi-convicted-plans-start-power-grid-race-war-2025904
“A neo-Nazi is facing 20 years in prison for conspiring to start a race war in the majority-Black city of Baltimore by attacking the power grid.”
“Brandon Russell, 29, who is a self-proclaimed “National Socialist,” is the cofounder of Atomwaffen Division (AWD) meaning atomic weapon in German, which he started as a teenager in 2015. This group believes in “accelerationism,” which is the violent overthrow of the government in order to fuel societal collapse.”
***
https://www.ijpr.org/politics-government/2025-02-14/bonneville-power-staff-departures-under-president-trump-raise-concerns-about-northwest-electrical-grid
“Bonneville Power staff departures under President Trump raise concerns about Northwest electrical grid”
“I can’t overemphasize the fact that this is a serious, serious, operational problem,” Randall Hardy, an energy consultant and former administrator of BPA, said about the staff losses. “The reliability impacts of this could be very serious. I mean the lights go out. Unplanned outages.”
Losing a large chunk of its highly trained workforce will hinder the agency’s ability to perform core functions, the BPA staff members said. Those functions include distributing hydropower from 31 federal dams and operating 75% of the Northwest’s power grid, ensuring reliable electricity for millions in the Northwest.
It sure seems like (F)Elon should be charged with the same thing as the neo-Nazi in MD. Elon is not an elected official, and collapsing the government is not part of upholding the US Constitution.
Idiot Megyn Kelly is soooooo angry with the Eagles football players because they allegedly told the white house to stuff it. They won’t go there no matter HOW MANY Hamberders they could have.
BB – Yeah, the Krasnov administration is my least favorite of all that I’ve experienced, and one that should be shut down as an infiltration by foreign agents, plural.
James Carville seems to think it will implode soon. Not without military inside or outside help, it won’t.
Unless, of course, someone can prove that Russian & Elon did something to rig the election, and Harris is rightfully the POTUS.
We know Butler, PA was a bogus pew-pew. What about the shooter? So little interest. It went away like, poooof!
BB, not even our youngest children are “delicate” any longer thanks to the crudeness of our so-called president.
I can’t wait to see who Trumpy picks to be the new Pope. Or doesn’t he get to do that?
It was obvious what Megyn Kelly was up to by seeing her performance on Bill Maher. Other than that, she’s hasn’t been on my radar since her ungraceful MSNBC exit.
Wait, what, are we getting a new Pope?
Apparently, Trump has NOT YET invited the Eagles to visit the White House and the Eagles haven’t made a decision about it yet, either.
The current Pope is NOT doing well. In critical condition, I believe.
Would not be surprised to have the chimney cleaners working to make sure the smoke makes it to the top. Don’t want any bird nests in the way.
Corey…..pretty sure he’s going to appoint himself pope.
“Lowlife” he says.
“Unpardonable sin,” he says.
Hahaha and all this time he’s got unpardonable SKIN.
’enery the 8th did it, so why can’t he?
Did not know the song itself had its own history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Henery_the_Eighth,_I_Am
I caught Peter Noone’s appearance on an episode of Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast once during a drive to Jersey. I was absolutely amazed by what a nice level-headed chap he is. Delightful traveling companion.
Also on that same type of motif was Burt Ward.
Early 60’s we used to practice at our drummer’s house. His little sister was gaga over those Hermits, so we wound up doing every song they made. They weren’t bad songs even though maybe a bit on the sappy side.
Movie of the Wrak:
”The Rookie”.
Starting the comedy team of Tommy Noonan and Peter Marshall.
it’s funny, anytime he accuses someone or something of an offense, he or/and his allies are guilty of that offense
the above is not a unique observation, and there’s a term for the phenomenon
It’s something somebody told him one time that one of those nazis had said and so he tries to do it just like they did. He’s just kind of a buffoonitory nazi.
The only thing that keeps the base of magans intact is the fact that the uppity black man dared to ridicule him. The magans resulting from that will follow him in through the Gates of Hell for that.
Me too, I liked them better than the Beatles. I still recall Peter on the show with Mike Douglas pretending he didn’t know how to pronounce the name of the city Baal-tee-moree. It was so cuute!
https://people.com/army-choir-performs-les-mis-trump-governors-ball-11685730
“Army Choir Performs Les Mis Anthem About Protesting the King for Trump. The Internet Has Questions”
“Governors Ball attendees heard a rendition of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” at the White House over the weekend — a protest anthem about resisting an oppressive government”
“Do you hear the people sing? / Singing the song of angry men?/ It is the music of the people / Who will not be slaves again!”
“Dan Scavino, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, shared a video of the choir performance on X, writing, “It was a great honor to attend this evenings Governors Ball at the @WhiteHouse, hosted by @FLOTUS Melania and @POTUS@realDonaldTrump—thank you!”
“Democratic Rep. James P. McGovern from Massachusetts responded to the post and pointed out the irony: “They picked Les Mis—a musical about standing up to tyranny. They protested you at your own event and you were too stupid to get it.”
Ha!
Another song for the resistance playlist.
https://www.nj.com/politics/2025/02/top-dem-rips-us-attorney-you-are-not-president-trumps-lawyer.html
“The AP filed a lawsuit last week over the White House’s decision to bar its reporters from official events due to the news organization’s choice to not change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” in its reporting.”
“On Monday, the interim acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia released a statement on the lawsuit that sparked outrage from Democrats.”
“As President Trumps’ lawyers, we are proud to fight to protect his leadership as our President and we are vigilant in standing against entities like the AP that refuse to put America first,” Ed Martin, the interim acting U.S. Attorney for D.C., said in a statement.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), an outspoken critic of Trump, immediately condemned the statement.
“This is insane. If you wonder why some of us think the rule of law is about to fall, it’s this.The U.S. Attorney for DC is not ‘President Trump’s lawyer’ and its job is not to ‘protect his leadership’ nor prosecute people who ‘refuse to put America first,’” he wrote on social media platform X.”
Orange Adolf has hurt so many folks in a month, that there won’t be much outrage when the entire Krasnov administration is found to be traitorous and possibly illegally in power due to election fraud.
The yt supremacists groups will go apes/t, but some of those are probably veterans who’ve lost benefits, so they might stand down, too.
the 2A people voted for the “government” that is the exact reason they are supposed to be 2A people
also not a unique observation
listening to Bill Maher on Pod Save now
Love it doing a good job calling him out on his bullshit so far I’m trying not to yell at the radio
good discussion, Bill very naive for a guy that made a career in political commentary
…in general, but specifically in the context of him remarking with wonder at skumtrump’s method of gutting government, THEY TOLD US what they were gonna do, Bill, they wrote up a whole plan, called it “Project 2025”, maybe you heard of it
…and he’s conciliatory NOW, after it matters, how convenient
Lovett and Maher compliment each other well actually
lol no one respects Lovett
NEW THREAD